Elizabeth is 5’11" is a regular XS and is wearing an XS.

Colour

Size

Black

Noir

Kat is 5’8” is a regular S and is wearing a S.

Women's Racer Tank in Black

White

Blanc

Women's Racer Tank in White

Coffee Bean/Fiery Red

Women's Racer Tank in Coffee Bean/Fiery Red

Fiery Red

Rouge vif

Women's Racer Tank in Fiery Red

Black/White

Noir/Blanc

Women's Racer Tank in Black/White

Olive

Elizabeth is 5’11" is a regular XS and is wearing a S.

Women's Racer Tank in Olive

Lily Pad

Women's Racer Tank in Lily Pad

Sienna/Cappuccino

Women's Racer Tank in Sienna/Cappuccino

Beluga

Béluga

Francis is 5ft 9.5in, a regular size XS and wearing a XS.

Women's Racer Tank in Beluga

Jester Red/Plum

Michelle is 5’10” is a regular S and is wearing a S.

Women's Racer Tank in Jester Red/Plum

Women's Racer Tank

Sustainability today often comes with a price tag, but for past generations, and still in many communities and cultures around the world, the act of ‘sustainability’ is a part of everyday life. Not a fad or a buzzword, but a passed-down practice of treating the resources we have with care.

So in honour of Earth Day, we turned to our community to ask how they practise sustainability in their daily life. Together, we’re reframing it as an everyday art, accessible to all—no price tag required.

 from April 23rd to 27th for lessons from our community, helping you to build your very own daily practice.

“I worry that there is perfectionism that is associated with ‘sustainability’ that deters people from making simple adjustments that contribute to a greater good.

“Natural dyeing is an ancient and sacred practise that is global, and a result of our human relationship with nature. Across the world, across all cultures, it was the way we colored cloth until the Industrial Revolution. In our studio, we work with floral and food waste as a source for our dye matter. Fostering mutually beneficial relationships between industries is an important part of our practice, and if we can intercept the slightest bit of waste from landfill and transform it into something beautiful, we’ve done our job!”

Dr. Dori Tunstall, Design Anthropologist & OCADU ​​Dean of Design

“Growing up steeped in multi-generational African American culture in the United States, many sustainability practices grew out of structural poverty. There are two that I hold dear and hope continue within my family. The first is the tradition of hand-me-down clothes from older relatives. I have my Great Grandmother’s hats. My aunties’ sweaters and old suits. Hand-me-down clothes reduce waste but also hold memories. The second is the reuse of jars and containers. I reuse soup jars as toothbrush holders and yogurt plastic containers to store food. If I do get a shopping bag (from food deliveries during COVID-19), I use them as trash bags. Again, the idea is to not buy new when you can reuse. This was required for most African Americans due to the lack of resources caused by anti-Black racism in US institutions. Now, that frugality is good for the environment.”

“In my travels to Mexico, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with and learn from traditional artisans, and have always held onto their ingenuity in repurposing items. When I saw an Oaxacan potter use an old bank card as a rib—a pottery tool used while throwing on the wheel, typically made from plastic—I immediately looked at what else I could be using instead of buying new. The idea that everything we could ever need already exists on this planet is something I think of often.”

“Younger generations are more mindful of climate change, loss of biodiversity and environmental pollution. Whereas, we, an older generation, we’re taught at a young age not to be wasteful and so, without realizing it, we practice the concept of sustainability and conscious consumption in our day-to-day life. For example, I use empty cookie tins to store things around the house like my sewing kit and loose change, or I'll reuse take-out containers to store food.

“I also grew up in the Philippines where there are only two seasons: the dry and the rainy season. It is common for most houses in the Philippines to have a barrel or a large clay pot under each downspout to catch rainwater. Now, I realize, it's a form of sustainability as the stored rainwater can be used to wash clothes or to water the plants.”

“I think sustainability is trying to help the planet instead of hurting it through the things that we do. When I went on a vacation with my family to the Caribbean we were asked to join in on a beach clean-up. Cleaning up the beach made me see how much garbage we throw away and how much plastic doesn't even get recycled. I saw so many broken toys, toothbrushes, water bottles, plastic bags, plastic straws, bottle caps, and glass all washed up on the beach.

“My best sustainability trick is turning cardboard boxes into really cool things instead of just recycling them. I love to paint and draw and started using them as my canvases and drawing paper. Painting boxes is also a cool way to wrap presents. I also turned some of the boxes into things for animals like a bed for my cat, a walking plank and a diving platform for our baby ducks that we hatched, and a sun-shelter for bunnies that we fostered. My brother and I wanted to make a cardboard slide on our stairs but mom and dad said, ‘Absolutely not.’”

“Spending most of my time surrounded by food, sustainable practices take form for me in trying to extend the life of fruits and vegetables in creative ways, like saving food scraps for stock, and practicing building conservative food habits, like upcycling wine bottles and containers. My SE Asian grandparents are superstars of reusing plastic and glass containers. Jello containers will have pickled mustard greens and hot chocolate containers will have fermented fish sauce. But they don’t know what ‘sustainability’ is, they are just trying to be resourceful. I think that’s what it all comes down to. I’m so inspired by them in many ways.”

Eske Schiralli, ​Designer & Textile Artist, Mad mfg.

“For me, practicing sustainability looks like taking the buzzwordiness away from words like sustainability. I feel like both the word and idea has been thrown around to the point of either being misinterpreted or losing its meaning entirely. I like to think of it as living holistically. We are all interconnected—to each other, to this world—much more than we know. I am really curious about the journey our products undergo from planet to person, and back again. The core of my work is rooted in exploring and sharing this process with others.”

“Grow with your garment. And I mean this both size and/or appearance wise. There’s a lot of life that can be given to an old garment by resizing it or changing up how it looks. One of my absolute favourite garments I own is a pair of black jeans I’ve had for almost 10 years that I keep tailoring to suit whatever shift I’m going through. Many times now I’ve altered the waist to go with my changing body, the leg shape to go with my style, added a pocket or 2 to increase functionality. Try working on a current garment of yours before buying a new one – and if you don’t want to do it yourself then become good friends with your local tailor!”

Women's Ribbed Lounge Pant in Opal Gray

Mock Neck Tank in Natural

The buttery softness of Egyptian cotton meets the elevated texture of linen. A flat sheet, also commonly known as a top sheet, crafted from naturally light, breathable, and moisture-wicking linen, to keep you cool in the summer, and comfortable all year long. To soften linen’s typically coarse touch, we’ve blended ours with long-staple Egyptian cotton, combining all the benefits of nature’s finest fabrics into one standout flat sheet.

Linen Flat Sheet in Capers

Denim to go against the grain. A relaxed, slightly balloon-shaped leg that defies gender—its curves blend typical men’s and women’s styles, rather than following old formulas of how denim should fit. A traditional dirty production process, our denim was built to last in a recycled cotton blend, crafted and dyed safely without the traditional chemicals and or toxic disposal techniques used. Shown here in standard women’s North American sizing for ease of purchase. For a wider size and fit range in the same cut, explore our Men’s Anti-Fit.

Women's Anti-Fit Denim in Dark Wash

Square Neck Tank in Black

Denim to go against the grain. A relaxed, slightly balloon-shaped leg that defies gender, rather than following old formulas of how denim should fit. A traditional dirty production process, our jeans were built to last in a recycled cotton blend, crafted and dyed safely without the traditional chemicals or toxic disposal techniques used. Shown here in standard men’s North American sizing for ease of purchase. For a wider size and fit range in the same cut, explore our Women’s Anti-Fit.

Men's Anti-Fit Denim in Dark Wash

Linen Flat Sheet in Raven

An elegant all-season staple. Designed with the same fit as our beloved High Neck Tank, now with a little added texture and a hint of stretch to stay fitted close to the body. Layered or on its own, dress it up easily with a wide leg pant or skirt, or casually with a simple jean.

Linen Flat Sheet in Mustard

Shop the Looks

Create Your Linen Bedding Set

Linen Bedding

Shop Anna's Picks

Read On

In My Room: Anna Daliza

Vintage Furniture Sourcing 101

The Art of Sustainability

Join the Kotn Community! 

Get 10% off your first purchase as a thank you for staying in touch.

Rejoignez la communauté Kotn !

Obtenez 10 % de réduction sur votre premier achat en guise de remerciement pour rester en contact.